ly; especially if he is very short of money and may come
to want a dinner. Perhaps that sort of fellow may take a livelier view
of things: he can't take a duller one. Courage, Myself: you and I can
but try."

For the next two days Kenelm was observed to be unusually pleasant. He
yawned much less frequently, walked with his father, played piquet
with his mother, was more like other people. Sir Peter was charmed:
he ascribed this happy change to the preparations he was making
for Kenelm's travelling in style. The proud father was in active
correspondence with his great London friends, seeking letters of
introduction for Kenelm to all the courts of Europe. Portmanteaus, with
every modern convenience, were ordered; an experienced courier, who
could talk all languages and cook French dishes if required, was
invited to name his terms. In short, every arrangement worthy a young
patrician's entrance into the great world was in rapid progress, when
suddenly Kenelm Chillingly disappeared, leaving behind him on Sir
Peter's library table the following letter:--

MY VERY DEAR FATHER,--Obedient to your desire, I depart in search of
real life and real persons, or of the best imitations of them. Forgive
me, I beseech you, if I commence that search in my own way. I have seen
enough of ladies and gentlemen for the present: they must be all very
much alike in every part of the world. You desired me to be amused. I
go to try if that be possible. Ladies and gentlemen are not amusing; the
more ladylike or gentlemanlike they are, the more insipid I find them.
My dear father, I go in quest of adventure like Amadis of Gaul, like Don
Quixote, like Gil Blas, like Roderick Random; like, in short, the only
people seeking real life, the people who never existed except in books.
I go on foot; I go alone. I have provided myself with a larger amount of
money than I ought to spend, because every man must buy experience,
and the first fees are heavy. In fact, I have put fifty pounds into my
pocket-book and into my purse five sovereigns and seventeen shillings.
This sum ought to last me a year; but I dare say inexperience will do
me out of it in a month, so we will count it as nothing. Since you have
asked me to fix my own allowance, I will beg you kindly to commence it
this day in advance, by an order to your banker to cash my checks to the
amount of five pounds, and to the same amount monthly; namely, at the
rate of sixty pounds a year. With that sum